Girl hoopsters drop Acorns in big win

It was junior cheer night at Landy James Gym last Friday.

And the La Conner High School girls’ basketball team gave both the youth cheerleaders and a large crowd plenty to applaud.

Maeve McCormick scored a game-high 26 points, Shaniquah Casey filled the stat sheet with 16 points, six rebounds, six steals and two assists, Nora McCormick added six points and a half dozen steals and Jackie Lam finished with six points and eight boards in drubbing 1B Oakville 56-35 to improve to 5-2.

Alyssa Forsythe and Laela Baker scored 10 points apiece for the visitors, who fell to 1-4. Andrea Mendez-Castro chipped in another eight points in the non-league contest.

With its full-court press forcing Oakville turnovers in droves – La Conner recorded 24 steals – the hosts built a double-digit halftime lead (37-23).

Maeve McCormick scored 13 points – half her total– in the second quarter, many coming on transition layups.

She was 11 of 21 from the field (one of three from three-point range) and three of four from the foul line while collecting seven steals and grabbing four rebounds.

After a tough road loss at 2A Kingston six days earlier, the team pulled away further by outscoring Oakville 19-12 in the second half.

“It was a nice bounce back win for us,” coach Joe Harper told the Weekly News afterward. “We’ve got a few girls back who had missed some of the previous games but were still not at full strength as it was Lydia Grossglass’ turn in the sickness rotation this week.”

Casey had left La Conner’s Oct. 5 game with Orcas Island due to shoulder soreness.

“She came out and put up 16 points for us, which I believe is her career high,” Harper said.

He cited the play of Maeve McCormick as well.

“She seems to be everywhere out there for us,” Harper said, “be it jumping in front of a pass or crashing the boards. Maeve has a motor that never stops when she’s on the floor.”

Junior guard Lily Dougliss likewise drew praise. She has been pressed into starting duty with teammates sidelined recently by illness and injury.

“She’s done an outstanding job,” stressed Harper. “What people don’t realize is this is really her second year playing basketball overall. What she is doing is remarkable and her improvement defensively from year one is what we really appreciate.

“If you watch the film,” he added, “there are not a lot of mistakes on the floor by Lily and she is also one of the stronger rebounders on the team even though she is only 5-1.”

Harper remains impressed with the team’s eighth graders, two of whom – Nora McCormick and Kim Williams – drew starting assignments against Oakville.

“Our eighth graders continue to improve and contribute on a nightly basis,” he said.

La Conner, which traveled to 2A Squalicum last night, entertains 1A South Whidbey this Friday at home.

“We do have work to do,” Harper acknowledged, “as we really need to focus on protecting the ball. Our turnovers are an issue, but I believe the girls will correct that moving forward.”